Weft detector for box looms



Sept. 27, 1927.

w. H. WAKEFIELD i -wEFT DETECTOR FOR Box Looms Filed Jan. 2. 1925 IN1/EN TOE."-

' wn. ra? lf. wf; HELD Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATE-s WALTER n. vinnarrnnn, or' Woncnsrnn, massacri-nantais, assren'oa ro cnoMr'roN a Knov/Lns Looivr Wenns, or' W'ononsrne., Massacre MASSACHUSETTS.

SETTE, A' CORPORTIGN OF WEFT DETECTOR FR BOX LOGI-VIS:

Application filed January 2, 1925. lSerial No. 26.

Th's invention relates to improvements in weft detectors for box looms such as are employed in weaving fabrics having relatively coarse and fine weft. In my co-pending application, Serial No. 757,234 there is shown a feeler having a detecting surface adjustable under control of the active shuttle, the detector becoming more sensitivey when cooperating with fine yarn and becoming less sensitive when cooperating with coarse yarn. The invention disclosed herein relates to a detector having a yarn penetrating member and a. laterally swinging' member so arranged that the penetrating member is movable in timed relation with the active shuttle.

It is the general object of my invention to provide means for positively moving the detector from one position to another by means of connections Controlled by the color slide of the usual multi-color weft replenishing mechanism, more particularly a replenishing mechanism to supply two colors. It is a furt-her object of my invention to provide means for initiating the' movement of the detector from one setting to thel other and to provide additional means for completing the movement, the setting of the detector being maintained for all movements" thereof in the direction in which the lay travels. i

W'ith these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein,` I have shown a convenient form of my invention,

F lv shows a portion of a multi-color replenishfng mechanism with my improved detector associated therewith as viewed from the central portions of the loom,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. l lookingk in the direction of arrow 2, Fig'. l,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Y

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking` in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Fig'. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on line 646 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the relation of the swinging and penetrating detectors in the positions they assume when cooperating with coarse yarn.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that I have shown the invention as appliedto a weft detector having a yarn penetrating member and a laterally swingingv member associated therewith having a roughened yarn engag ng surface which is rest-rained against vmovement by the presence of sutilcient yarn but is free to turn when theA yarn becomes depleted to such any extent as to render desirable the indication- 7of weft eX- haustion. A loom frame l0-v has secured. thereto inner plate ll of a multi-color weft replenishing mechanism. Said mechanism has the usual transferrer l2above4 which is mounted a color indicating slide 13' onj which is mounted a pair of fingers 14 one of which is indicated in Fig. l'.` Said slide 13 is mounted for both longitudinal and' angular motion, being oscillated in bearings' l5 formed4 on the plate llV and being` movable longitudinally in said bearings by mechanismv under cont/roll of the shifting shuttle boxes. This mechanism is not. shown in the drawings butis substantially the :saine as that set forth in Patent No. 1,030,748 to Ryon. For the `purposes of thek present invention it lis sufficient to sta-te that said slide 13 moves longitudinally in timed relation with the active shuttle.

The weft detector is` mounted on a support 16 fromL which projects upwardly an arm 17 through which extends a controller 18 clearly shown in Fig. 3.. The. controller 18 is normally to one side of the slot 19 to permit lever 2O to move downwardly at regular intervalswithout being. obstructed Whenever the controller 1'8 extends under the lever 20 the latter will be effective to indicate weft exhaustion as set forth in the aforesaid patent.

The supportvl` has projectingtherefrom a stud 21 on which is mounted a threadedV sleeve 22 passing through a` hub 23 ing from the feeler bed 24. Said bed has slidably mounted therein a rectangular tubularcase or slide 25 from which depends. a clip 26 having extending therethrough the reduced` end of a stud 27. The rear end of said stud is enlarged and threaded as at 281 to pass through the bed 24 and limit rearloo dependfward movement of the slide and clip Y26 as the latter are moved under influence of spring 29 which surroundssaid stud 27 and pushes against the forward end of the bed 24'. The bed isprovided with a cap 30 which is secured thereto as by screws 31 to prevent upward movement of the slide 25.

Pivotally mounted on the slide 25 as at 32 is a detector Vmember 33 the rear end of which is provided with a roughened surface 34 and the forward end of which is formed as a linger 35.V Said swinging detector is provided with a surface 36 to engage a stop screw 37 adjustably threaded through the cap or cover as shown in Fig. 6p Said stop screw is to one side of the pivot 32 and as the slide 25 is moved rearwardly under action'of spring 29 said stop screw will engage the surface 36 to givethe detector 33 a movement to `the right holding said detector`33 as viewed in Fig. 3.

Pivoted as at 38 to the `forward end of the witlrthe detector 33 held against the yarn penetrating member-50 to be described hereinafter but with the spring 43 acting normally to move said detector to the left because of the connection between the fin` ger 35 and arm 40. When sufficient yarn for continued weaving is `present said detector 33 will be restrained against `angular motion with respect to the slide 25 and the controller 18 will be moved forwardly but` when insuflicient yarnis present said detector 33 is given a left hand movement by the `spring 43 to move the controller 18 under the lever 20 to indicate weft exhaustion as previously described. The matter thus far described` issimilar to well known construc` tion and forms no part of my invention.

My presentinvention relates more particularly to the means for controlling the position ofthe second detector 50 which isslidably mounted inthe case or slide 25 tothe end that the length of waste remaining at indication of exhaustion will be substantially the same for coarse and fine yarn.

The Vtype of feeler illustrated herein is of the general form shown in Patent No. 972.722 and dependsfor its `operation on the fact that the `rear end ofthe yarn penetrating detector 50 lies behind the roughened surfate 347 the difference between the positions of the rear portions of each of the detectors measuring the amount of yarn remaining on a bobbin when indication of weft exhaustion is given. As any predetermined length of waste of fine yarn remaining at the time of indication of weft exhaustion will represent a smaller layer of yarn onthe bobbin than would be the case with coarser yarn, it isV centric 51. Projecting upwardly from the sliding'detector 50 is a pin 55 to which-is connected the rear end of a tension spring 56 the forward end of which is connected to a pin 57 projecting upwardly from the arm 54 f guide surfaces 59 and 60, respectively,V

In order tolmove the eccentric 51 `there is j against one of whichthe pin 57 will normally rest under actionof the spring 56. Said control lever 58is pivoted as at 61 vto kthe cap 30 and hasfa laterally projecting arm 62 having aslot 62 therein by means of which link 62al may be adjustably connected therewith. The forward end of said link carries the rod head 63 which is adjustably connected to a lever64by means of stud 65 which projects through slot 66 in said lever 64. j Said lever 64 is adjustably secured to the lower end of an upright shaft 67 lrotatably mounted in bearings 68 associated with the plate 11 of the replenishing mechanism. Adjustable collars 69 and 70 secured onthe shaft 67 engage opposite sides of one of the bearings 68 to limit vertical motion thereof.

Projecting forwardly from the'shaft 67 and adjustably secured thereto is an'upper arm 71 having aiinger 72 which extends into a slot 73 formed ina collar 74 adjustably se cured to the outer end ofthe color slidel 1.3.`

As shownin Fig. 3 the detector is set for cooperation .with fine yarn, the spring 56 holding the forward end of the detector 50 against the low part of the eccentric 51 and also holding the pin 57 against surface 59 of i lever 58. Said lever `58 is so disposedthat the surface 59 is parallel to the motion given the slide 25 by the advancinglay when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. The setting of the detector is shown in Fig.

3 to correspond to the forward position of the collar 74 on the color slide `butas previously described when the active shuttle changes `and the coarse yarn becomes active the slide 13 will be moved rearwardly7 or to the left as seen in Fig. 1, thus moving the.

collar 74 to the dotted line position. This produces a l-right hand rotation in the upright shaft 67 as viewed in Fig. l3 and through intermediate connections the vlever 58 will move to the left, the pin 57 being moved to the left by the surface 59 until the spring 5G vpasses over the stud 52 at which time said spring will move the pin 57 against guide surface GO. "When lever 58 is thrown to vthe lettthe guidasurface G0 will be parallel to the movement :given the Islide by the lay. By reason otl the disposition of the surfaces 59 and 60 the setting of the eccentric 5l will not be altered by the longitudinal movement of the detector slide 25.

A lug carried by the penetrating detector 50 extends upwardly through a slot 76 and slot 77 formed in the cap 38 and the casing 25, respectively.

W'hen the lever 58 is moved as described the large part of the eccentric is turned toward the detector 50 moving the latter rearwardly against the action of spring 56 so that the detectingelements assume the relative position shown in Fig. 7. In this position it will be understood that a greater depth of waste remains on the bobbin at the time of indication of exhaustion which is necessary when detect-ing with coarse yarn.

F rom the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a weft detector having a penerating element and a swinging element wherein the relative positions of said element-s are changed to render the detecting surfaces more or less sensitive according to the character of yarn being Woven and that the motion for effecting the relative change is communicated positively from the color slide of the usual multi-color weft replenishing mechanism. Furthermore it will be noted that the lever 58 initiates the movement of the eccentric and that the spring 56 completes the movement. Also, the guide surfaces 59 and 60 are so disposed that the one which engages pin 57 will be parallel to the slide 25 so as not to alter the setting of the eccentric as the slide moves forwardly.

Having thus described my invention it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes and a member movable in timed relation with the shuttle boxes and dependent for its position upon which shuttle box is in active position, a weft detector having a detector surface movable to assume various adjusted positions, means interposed between the member and the detector to initiate a change in they adjustment of said detector as said member moves upon a shifting of the shuttle boxes to bring a new shuttle box into active position, and additional means to complete'the motion to change the adjustment-of said detector.

2. In multi-color weft replenishin'g mechanism for 'aloom having shifting shut.-

tle boxes and a' color slide moving in 'timed tors one of which is movable with respect to the other to indicate substantial weft exhaustion, and means including an eccentric interpose-l between the member and the other detector to varythe relative adjustment ot said detectors.

4. In a weft replenishing plurality of shuttle boxes, weft replenishing mechanism having a color slide to move in timed relation with the shuttle boxes, a weft detector having a yarn penetrating member and a pivotally mounted yarn impinging member, and means including an eccentric interposed between the color slide and one of said detectors to cause relative movement otl said members to render said detector more or less sensitive depending upon which shuttle box is in active position.

5. In a loom, multi-color weft replenishing mechanism including a color slide, aweft detector having a sliding element, a yarn impinging detector member pivotally mounted on said sliding element, a yarn penetrating member slidably mounted on said sliding element, and rotary means operaloom having a tively connected with the color slide and engaging one of said members to vary the relative position of said pivoted yarn impinging member and said yarn penetrating member.

6. In a loom, multi-color weft replenishing mechanism including a color slide, a weft detector, an element for said detector slid'- able under influence of the lay, a yarn impinging member pivotally mounted on said element, a yarn penetrating member slidably mounted on said element, a lever mounted on a fixed center, connections between the color slide and said lever to move the latter when the color slide moves, and an eccentric controlled by the lever and operatively connected to the yarn penetrating member to cause relative longitudinal movement between the members when said lever is moved by the color slide.

7. In a loom having a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes, a multi-color weft replenishlng mechanism having a device movable 1n timed relation With the shuttle boxes, a weft detector, a slidably mounted element forming part of said detector and movable `under influence of the lay, aryarn impinging member pivotally mounted on the element, a arn penetrating member slidably mounte on said element, a lever movablein timed relation with the device, an eccentric operatively connected to one of said detectors, and actuating connections between the lever and said eccentric to move said eccentric Whenever.

direction in which the element moves.v

,Iii testimony whereof have hereunto 120 aHiXed my signature.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

